How many of us bring dutch oven along?

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IsLost

My introduction to the dutch oven was on a kayak trip in Prince William Sound Alaska. We had two GSI (aluminum) models, the smaller one with on legs packs inside the larger (12"?) with legs. We'd typically use the big one to make the meal for our group (6 guys) over a camp stove, and bake a dessert or corn bread in the smaller one, using coals from the fire, every night - yes fresh baked dessert in the wilderness every night! What a change from back packing! After I got back home, we bought a GSI 12" hard anodized aluminum one.

On our yearly group Labor Day weekend (car camping) camp out, we have a dutch oven dessert cook off every year. I think they are sick of my wife always winning Think I need the get the smaller too...(Hmm my REI dividend will just cover it)

Adventurer

Yeah, for me the problem is trying not to take too many ovens with me. Keeping it down to 3 or 4 is a challenge. I also like to take my old cast iron waffle iron with me for a special morning treat. The guys like it when I set up the camp kitchen. Offering to cook gets me invited on trips that I might not otherwise. We usually set up a base camp so the weight and setup time isn't really an issue.

While I love grilling and cooking on the propane stove, there are just some things you can do in a Dutch Oven that just aren't practical using other methods. I love to have biscuits or hot cinnamon rolls in the morning. Sitting around the fire eating a bowl of cobbler makes the evening special.

Explorer

I have found making what we call 'quick cobbler' is a great way to meet other campers when camped in an established campground. Poor in a cake mix, a can of sprite, and the pie filling of your choice and let people follow their noses. It's usually worth doubling the recipe.

Makin' Beer.

I have found making what we call 'quick cobbler' is a great way to meet other campers when camped in an established campground. Poor in a cake mix, a can of sprite, and the pie filling of your choice and let people follow their noses. It's usually worth doubling the recipe.

Explorer

Adventurer

If I am traveling alone or with just one other it will be a 14" deep. I'll leave the 16" deep and standards at home. If I am planning on making a soup or stew from scratch, I'll take a Potjie, English, or Gypsy pot because of its shape. Since I learned to cook for a minimum of 50, I find anything smaller useless. Old habits are hard to break.

Adventurer

I have found making what we call 'quick cobbler' is a great way to meet other campers when camped in an established campground. Poor in a cake mix, a can of sprite, and the pie filling of your choice and let people follow their noses. It's usually worth doubling the recipe.

sorry for being a bit of a newbie when it comes to DO cooking but do you just mix this all together and is it just a dry cake mix and the sprite or do you need to actually make the mix per instructions?

Makin' Beer.

Just pour it in and give it a stir, no need to follow the directions on the box. When I make cobbler like this I usually reserve a little bit of the cake mix, then sprinkle it on top after stirring everything together and add a few pads of butter spread out evenly on top of that. I like to do the +2\-2 method for coals in this recipe, if you have a 12 inch dutch oven put 14 coals on top and 10 underneath, for a 10 inch oven it would be 12 coals on top and 8 below. Of course if its really cold or humid or windy you would probably benefit from adding a coal or two. Exact time for baking also is effected by environment. Usually with cobbler, when I can smell it I let it go a little while longer and then it will be done. Never ever open the lid! That will prolong your cooking also. Another trick too is every 15 minutes give the whole pot a quarter turn clockwise and then the lid only a quarter turn counter clockwise so that it heats evenly and doesn't burn some spots and leave others undercooked.

Adventurer

Adventurer

Just pour it in and give it a stir, no need to follow the directions on the box. When I make cobbler like this I usually reserve a little bit of the cake mix, then sprinkle it on top after stirring everything together and add a few pads of butter spread out evenly on top of that. I like to do the +2\-2 method for coals in this recipe, if you have a 12 inch dutch oven put 14 coals on top and 10 underneath, for a 10 inch oven it would be 12 coals on top and 8 below. Of course if its really cold or humid or windy you would probably benefit from adding a coal or two. Exact time for baking also is effected by environment. Usually with cobbler, when I can smell it I let it go a little while longer and then it will be done. Never ever open the lid! That will prolong your cooking also. Another trick too is every 15 minutes give the whole pot a quarter turn clockwise and then the lid only a quarter turn counter clockwise so that it heats evenly and doesn't burn some spots and leave others undercooked.

kcOtma - That cobbler I posted above is a cake mix/sprite quick cobbler. I follow the +2/-2 mantra also... I've never even considered chocolate cake, but man that sounds good. I'll have to give it a try! :drool:

New member

We have been cooking with dutch ovens for years now and take a few on each trip. This was the first Tday that we cooked a turkey in one and it turned out amazing.I buried the dutch oven and bird in the morning and then we took the quads and sxs for a ride. When we got back the bird was ready to eat. It is something that all of my kids like to do also so hopefully the tradition carries on.